The Ties That Bind
by LuciusAndNarcissa
Summary: Halloween, 1981. Lucius Malfoy accompanies Lord Voldemort to Godric's Hollow and, when his master disappears, is left with a dilemma: what should he do with the infant boy left behind? Could this boy be the answer to Lucius's and Narcissa's prayers for another child, and how long can they keep the survival of the Wizarding World's savior a secret? (AU. Harry Malfoy.)
1. Chapter One

**A/N: We've wanted to an explore an AU in which Harry was raised by the Malfoys from a young age for a while, and so (spoiler alert), here it is. There's an instance of strong language in the first chapter, but PG-13 movies are allowed one use of the word, so we're planning to keep this rated T. We hope you enjoy.** **—** _ **L &N**_

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∞ Chapter One ∞

It was a dark and eerie night in Godric's Hollow, and Lucius wanted to be anywhere but here. The Dark Lord was carrying out the last phase of his plan and had risen to so much power that after this night had ended, there would be little able to stand in the way of his reign of terror and bring it to an end. The Dark Lord's excitement had been more than evident, as of late. His followers, on the other hand—the ones like Lucius, who had been forced into life as a Death Eater at a young age and really had no say as to whether he wanted to serve the Dark Lord or not—were not so thrilled by the prospect of their master ruling forever. Because of his father's death and his responsibility to take over Abraxas's position in the Dark Lord's inner circle several years earlier, Lucius had now worked his way to the top of his master's ranks and was now the Dark Lord's most trusted and faithful servant. If there was a task that needed tending to, Lucius, along with his sister-in-law Bellatrix and her husband and his brother, were called on for the task.

Lucius, Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan had all been summoned to Godric's Hollow just a few minutes prior. Lucius had kissed his wife and informed her that he would return as soon as possible before Disapparating from Malfoy Manor and arriving at the exact place he'd been called to meet them all. Upon his arrival, he was unpleasantly greeted by his in-laws.

"Too busy with your little sprog to join us, Lucius?" said Rabastan with a nasty chuckle.

"Did we disturb you while you were fucking your wife?" laughed Rodolphus.

Lucius produced his wand and pointed it toward the two of them, readying his hand to send a hex their way. Scowling, Bellatrix elbowed Rodolphus in the side, and Lucius supposed her irritation was less on his behalf and more due to the desire to avoid thinking of her sister in such a way.

"I'll thank you to keep my family out of your insults," said Lucius with disdain, lifting his wand higher.

"Ah, Lucius," said the Dark Lord, appearing from out of the shadows, causing Lucius to immediately return his wand to his pocket and turn to face his master.

"My Lord," he said with a bow.

"Glad you decided to join me. Although, I believe working on coming exactly when called will keep you and your family from any future pain I may be forced to inflict."

"Of course, My Lord." Lucius did his best to hide the anger he felt toward the Dark Lord's threats.

"Now, on to the important matter of the evening. Tonight is a very special night," said the Dark Lord, pacing in front of his four followers with determination in his steps. His excitement was clear in the crispness of his movements, but he still held a sense of calm that was quite unnerving to Lucius.

"Why is that, My Lord?" Bellatrix asked, her dark eyes focused with rapt attention on her master.

The Dark Lord smiled coolly. "Glad you should ask, Bellatrix. My mission is there," he said as he pointed toward one of the houses a few doors down from where they stood. Lights spilled from the windows, and shadows moved within. "That is the home of James and Lily Potter, along with their one-year-old son, Harry…"

Lucius tried to listen carefully to the Dark Lord as he spoke, not wanting to miss the part detailing his instructions. However, he felt his stomach turn in knots at the mention of a one-year-old child being involved in their mission, as Lucius knew that could not end well. No, Lucius wasn't fond of James Potter or Lily Evans. He'd been too old to know them well from school, but the stories of them and their work for the Order—and his occasional encounters with them because of it—were not pleasant and made him want nothing to do with the blood traitor or his Muggleborn wife and their half-breed of a son. But the thought of the one-year-old came circling back through his mind—the idea that a poor, defenseless child was to be harmed unsettled him. What if that child was Draco? What if one day it would be? Lucius inwardly kicked himself for entertaining such horrible thoughts, but he also began to consider what Narcissa would think if she found out that he'd been forced to harm a child or…

"Lucius, do you have better things to attend to?" asked the Dark Lord sternly.

Lucius immediately snapped back to reality, shaking his head. "No, My Lord," he replied. "Of course not. There is no place I'd rather be than here, at your service."

An amused smile spread over the Dark Lord's lips, and he stepped closer to Lucius.

"Right," he said in what sounded like disbelief. "Then you will have no problem in carrying out the task I've given you."

"No, of course not. It's just, My Lord, I—"

"Wasn't listening? That's what I thought. _Crucio!_ "

Not entirely shocked by the Dark Lord's sudden choice to cast an Unforgivable, Lucius fell to his knees and held in his cry of agony to avoid drawing the attention of outsiders. He knew the Dark Lord wasn't worried about being caught—he was essentially all-powerful, at this point, but Lucius, on the other hand, was not. Rodolphus and Rabastan snickered.

"Silence!" demanded the Dark Lord as he lowered his wand. "Or you'll be next. Lucius, on your feet."

As the pain slowly ebbed away, Lucius did as he was told. As he stood, he lifted his chin and set his jaw firmly.

"Now, I will say this one more time: you're responsible for procuring the child, if something is to go wrong. Is that clear?" the Dark Lord hissed.

Lucius blinked a few times, mentally kicking himself for doing so and wishing he'd paid better attention when the Dark Lord had been informing them of his plan. He cleared his throat and nodded. "Of course, My Lord," he answered quickly. "Of course."

"Get it together," snapped Bellatrix quietly from beside him. "Do not ruin this."

He ignored her, watching as the Dark Lord made his way into the Potters' home. Lucius remained back, watching and waiting to see what might happen as his pulse pounded in his ears.

After several moments of quiet, there was a loud yell and a burst of green light coming from one of the downstairs windows, alerting Lucius and the others that one Potter was down and there were two more to go. Lucius's heart raced with anticipation, fear, and regret—becoming a father had softened him when it came to children. Everything about the mission made him absolutely ill. He kept seeing his little Draco in his crib asleep, waking to a scary-looking man and a green light and two screams from him and Narcissa before experiencing death himself.

 _No_ , Lucius told himself, working hard to silence his fears.

Another minute or two passed, and another flash of green light interrupted the blackness of the world outside the house, this time from the upstairs window in time with a second shout. And then only one Potter remained. Lucius gulped, knowing due to pitches of the sounds that the first to die had been Potter and the second had been Evans, which only left their son. Lucius fought hard to remove the image of little Draco in the crib from his mind; no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to rid himself of it. He knew it was what would come to pass if he was ever to defy the Dark Lord.

Another flash of green light emanated from the upstairs window.

Another shout followed, but it couldn't have belonged to an infant.

Lucius immediately snapped back to the present, looking to the others.

"Something's happened!" he exclaimed, producing his wand and pulling his hood more securely over his head. "Come on!"

Lucius ran toward the house, followed by Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan. When he reached the house, he ran in the front door, stepping over Potter's body without even a glance before making his way up the stairs.

" _Lumos_ ," he muttered, spurring his wand to light the darkened stairway and halls. He looked in all the rooms, searching for his master, but the Dark Lord was nowhere to be found. However, Lucius spotted a light on within a room at the end of one of the corridors, and he made his way toward it and entered. " _Nox_ ," he said, and the light of his wand extinguished. He kept his wand out and held it up, prepared to strike.

"Where is he?" asked Rodolphus, his voice panicked.

"Bloody hell," said Rabastan. His fear was evident in his eyes as he surveyed the room.

"Remain calm," replied Lucius, his gaze landing on the small child in the crib.

Bellatrix shoved past Lucius, her expression frantic and her breath rapid. "Where is he?" she demanded. She glanced from Lucius to the crib. "Why is the brat still breathing?" she snarled, stepping closer to the boy, who clung to the bars and watched them intently.

Lucius quickly held out his arm, blocking Bellatrix from stepping any closer to the child. "Don't you dare," he said sternly. He knew how angry Bellatrix could get and knew that if the Dark Lord was truly gone, she'd do everything in her power to harm anyone who'd had something to do with it—in this case, as he was the only one left to blame, she'd try to harm the child. "I had strict orders to procure the child if something was to go wrong, and I'm doing just that."

Lucius removed his mask and stepped forward slowly; his wand was still at the ready. When he reached the crib, however, he relaxed slightly, looking down at the little boy. He was about Draco's size and had bright-green eyes and bushy black hair and a scar shaped like a lightning bolt on his forehead. Lucius's furrowed his brow, wondering how in the world the boy had received such a precise wound—it looked fresh. Could the Dark Lord's Killing Curse have backfired, leaving that mark in its place? Lucius shook his head of the ridiculous thought. Harry was a child. There was no way he could destroy Lord Voldemort.

Lucius continued to stare at the boy, and Harry stared back up at him, his bright eyes looking right into Lucius's and his little arms stretching out for him to pick him up. Lucius screwed up his face for a moment, thinking of all the possible ways bringing home a child to Narcissa could go—not to mention, this one was a half-breed. Lucius shook his head and sighed, reaching down and picking up the babe. He'd been given orders by the Dark Lord, and just in case his master was still out there, he didn't want to disobey those orders and face the consequences.

Lucius turned around toward the others, tilting his head slightly as Harry began to pull on his hair like Draco so often did.

"You lot best return to your homes," he said. "Aurors will be showing up at any moment, and you wouldn't want to be caught. We're all headed to Azkaban if the Dark Lord is truly gone and they manage to catch us. I believe lying low for a while would be wise. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a family to return home to," he said.

He flicked his wrist as though he were going to leave, but instead, he sent a hex toward both Rodolphus and Rabastan, who each yelled in pain.

"That's for insulting my wife and son."

Harry giggled, and Lucius looked down at him, grinning slightly, before turning his face back toward the others.

"You'd best do your duty well," said Bellatrix coldly. "Do not disappoint him."

Lucius said nothing. He waved his wand once more, and in a moment, he'd appeared at Malfoy Manor's gates, behind the shield he'd cast right after Draco had been born. He stepped through the gates and made his way to the door, unlocking it before stepping inside and making his way toward his study to find his wife. Lucius felt as though an immense weight had been lifted from his shoulders—the Dark Lord was gone, and he was free. There was no better news with which he could've returned, and he knew that Narcissa would feel the same way. However, he was a little apprehensive as to how she would react to the baby.

He glanced down at Harry, who had returned to sleep, his head buried in Lucius's chest as he clung to the robes that would have to be hidden before the Ministry caught word of what had taken place.


	2. Chapter Two

**A/N: We're completely blown away by the response to the first chapter, so thank you very much for your support. Warning in this one for references to miscarriage. —** _ **L &N**_

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∞ Chapter Two ∞

Narcissa had been pacing in the study, as she almost always did when Lucius left on a task for the Dark Lord. The war had been escalating at a pace that she wasn't prepared to handle, and as Lucius's trips in the dead of night became more frequent and left him with an increasing number of scars, she found herself wondering where this was all to end. If the Dark Lord won, would the fighting cease? Or would the Death Eaters become the enforcers of the new world's laws, constantly embattled as they struggled to hold their hard-won control? All she wanted was peace—her husband safe at home with her and their son, a life that didn't involve the constant fear of losing the man she loved. She knew, though, that this was a vain hope.

She paused at the sound of footsteps in the hall and rushed out to meet Lucius, halting in her tracks as she realized he was carrying... Was that a child? Where in the world had this baby come from? Her mind was alive with questions, but the first one she managed was regarding his well-being.

"Are you hurt?"

Lucius hurried forward, breaking the rest of the space between them, and Narcissa found much of her tension fading at the sight of her husband's smile. He stepped as close to her as possible, careful of the child he held, and pressed his lips to hers tenderly.

"I'm fine," Lucius breathed as he pulled back slightly and rested his forehead against Narcissa's. "He's gone, Cissy. The Dark Lord is dead."

Narcissa she froze, wide-eyed and trying to shake off her disbelief that this was possible.

"Dead?" she repeated, her heart beginning to pound. This was more incredible than she'd dared to hope—if the Dark Lord was dead, her family was free. "How?" she asked, more out of obligation than because she cared what had happened to the man who'd taken over their lives.

"Kiss me," breathed Lucius, grinning as he returned his mouth to hers. Narcissa's heart raced, her excitement growing at the touch of her husband's lips and at his enthusiasm. She kissed him back passionately, lifting a hand to caress his cheek. When he pulled back, he met her eyes. "I'm not sure, exactly, but I'm almost positive this little sprog had something to do with it," he answered, looking down at the boy he carried.

"Where did he come from? What—what happened?" She frowned at the sight of the lightning-shaped scar on the child's forehead, reaching out to trace the area just beside it.

The boy blinked sleepily and looked up at Narcissa with a slight smile, and she had to smile back at his reaction to her touch. He held out his arms, balling his little hands in and out of fists in a gesture she recognized as meaning he wanted her to hold him. She took him gently into her arms and pulled him to her shoulder.

"He's James and Lily Potter's boy," said Lucius. "Harry. The Dark Lord killed them, and when he went to kill the boy, something… happened, and the Dark Lord vanished."

Narcissa paused. She'd never been overly fond of the Potters; she hadn't known them well in school, as they'd entered during her fifth year, but she'd known that her cousin Sirius had run to James in escaping their family, and while she understood perfectly why Sirius had gone and had somewhat hoped they could continue some form of communication, Sirius had been fully absorbed into his group with James and had left his family behind entirely. Still... Narcissa's stomach became uneasy at the idea of two people she'd been at least acquainted with being murdered at the Dark Lord's hands and leaving behind a helpless child.

"Then we certainly owe him, don't we?" She leaned down to kiss the top of Harry's head. "If you got rid of the Dark Lord, young one, you've given us freedom." If the Dark Lord was truly gone, Lucius would no longer be constantly in the line of fire, out risking his life nightly in a fight that had always seemed to have no end. There was no longer danger that Narcissa or Draco would be punished if Lucius happened to displease his master. Narcissa had no idea how the child in her arms could've had anything to do with the Dark Lord's disappearance, but she was willing to accept any explanation at all that made all of this possible. Narcissa glanced down at Harry and smiled at the sight of how quickly he seemed to be warming to her.

"I believe we do owe him," said Lucius. "Though, Cissy, there's more."

She rubbed the boy's back gently and shifted her focus back to her husband.

"My orders from the Dark Lord were to take the child if something went wrong."

Narcissa raised a brow at his words. "Wait a moment. Take and protect or take and dispose of?" She couldn't deny being somewhat frightened of the answer. It wasn't at all that she was scared of Lucius—she knew he would never hurt her—but of the Dark Lord's orders, which often led him to do things he didn't approve of for the sake of maintaining his standing within the inner circle.

Lucius stared past her, his brow furrowed. "He didn't say specifically. He simply told me to procure the child." He sighed. "I guess he expects me to keep him around—like the diary he gave me... I don't really know why, but I know anything he instructs me to keep an eye on is most definitely important to him."

Narcissa looked down at the child she held, who had fallen asleep, and she frowned slightly. She hated the idea of someone so young—Draco's age, no less—being used as the Dark Lord's tool. "I'll never understand him," she muttered. "What use can he have for a baby?" She shook her head and looked up into her husband's eyes, her own pleading. "We should be protecting him. If the Dark Lord is gone, what can it hurt?"

Lucius pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment and sighed, and he said nothing immediately. Narcissa studied his face, wondering what he was thinking. He couldn't seriously be considering harming the boy, could he? _No,_ she thought, _I know him better than that. He couldn't._ Eventually, he reached out to run his fingers through her hair and smiled down at Harry, and Narcissa began to relax.

"I don't have the heart to put him in an orphanage," said Lucius, "so our only option would be to keep him. Besides, I was given orders. I would hate for the Dark Lord to possibly return and harm you or Draco if I failed to listen."

The knots Narcissa's stomach had begun to work itself into loosened when her husband spoke. She'd always wanted several children, and she tried not to let her mind drift to all the complications that had precluded that outcome. The idea that they could have another son, that Draco could have a brother, was one she found too wonderful for words. Yes, this boy was a half-blood, but even so, Narcissa couldn't bring herself to hold that against him, given the fate he'd so nearly escaped and the fact that he had, however inadvertently, freed her family from the Dark Lord.

She leaned close to meet Lucius's lips, letting hers linger against them for several moments. He moaned into her mouth when she kissed him, letting her take charge for a few moments before placing his hands on her cheeks and kissing her more passionately. Narcissa's heart pounded. She was absolutely thrilled to feel that he was as excited by all these new developments as she was.

"Thank you," she said when he eventually pulled back and kissed her nose.

"Anything for you, my rose. I—I just..." Lucius shook his head, looking down at Harry and running his fingers through the boy's hair. Narcissa's face fell as she wondered what was troubling him. "We best get the little sprog to bed; it's been a long night for him." Lucius reached out and grabbed his wife's hand, guiding her out of the study and toward the stairs.

"You're right," she said, holding Harry close while squeezing Lucius's hand and following him. "But what's wrong, my love?" she asked gently. "You can tell me anything, you know."

At the foot of the stairs, Lucius stopped walking and turned to Narcissa once more, keeping a tight hold on her hand. "I—he's not our son. We waited so long for Draco, and—" Lucius choked on his words. He rested his hands on Narcissa's waist, his thumbs stroking her stomach. "We've lost so many, Cissy... and then we had our boy. And, well, I want to give Draco the best childhood possible. What if he doesn't like Harry? What if he feels abandoned?" Lucius gulped. "What if I can't love this child like I love our boy?"

Narcissa glanced downward at Lucius's thumbs tracing her stomach, and a sickening pang shot through her, all her regrets for what they'd been through surging to the surface. She said nothing for a moment, looking at the floor, and then she returned her focus to his face. "He's not our son, no, but if we give him the chance, we could come to love him as though he were. I can't guarantee it, and I can understand you fearing that you won't be able to love him. I want Draco to be happy, and I'm afraid that we won't be enough for him—what if he wants someone his age to play with, and what if I can't give that to him? This could be our chance. We can't know how they'll feel about one another until they've been able to find out for themselves."

Lucius's face fell, and he lifted his hands to her cheeks and stroked his fingers across her skin. "Cissy, I'm—I'm sorry... I didn't mean—" He leaned in to press a kiss to her lips.

"It's all right," she said, leaning into his touch. Narcissa knew Lucius hadn't intended to upset her, and she mentally cursed herself for dwelling too much on what they'd lost.

He leaned in to press a kiss to her lips before pulling back and running his fingers through Harry's hair. "Let's get the little sprog to bed." Lucius took Narcissa's hands once again and continued guiding her up the stairs and down the hall. "Where would you like him to sleep?" he asked.

"I'm not entirely certain. He'll need a bed, and we've only the one, until the stores open and we can get another. Unless we still have..." She trailed off, wondering whether a crib from when they'd been planning on having a girl remained somewhere in the cellar.

Lucius nodded quickly. "Yes, yes I believe we do. Let me go and retrieve it and I'll meet you in Draco's room." He kissed her forehead, nose, and lips before turning away and starting down the steps.

Narcissa held Harry a little more tightly. "He'll warm up to you," she told the boy quietly. "It's going to be all right. You've been through far too much already, and things will get better." She made her way to the nursery where Draco slept peacefully, and she watched her son with a small smile.

 _You'll never have to know this war,_ she thought. _Praise Merlin, you'll never have to see the things we've seen._

Shortly, Lucius entered the room and set something very small on the floor across from Draco's crib. He muttered " _Finite Incantatem,_ " and Narcissa watched as the crib he'd retrieved grew to its full size.

"Thank you, love," Narcissa said softly, trying not to wake either of the children.

"Of course." Lucius leaned in to peck her lips, and she smiled.

Narcissa moved closer to the crib and laid Harry down carefully. She then turned around to find that Lucius had moved over to stand beside Draco's crib, and she watched as her husband's shoulders rose and fell with a sigh. Narcissa frowned. She hated to see Lucius in pain, and she wanted to find out what was troubling him and help in any way she could. She knew he hated how often his duties for the Dark Lord had drawn him away from their son, and even if nothing else had come of the Dark Lord's disappearance, at least Lucius would now be able to spend more time with Draco. Narcissa reached down to run her hand over Harry's hair softly and then made her way over to Draco's crib, bending down to kiss his forehead before straightening and wrapping her arms around Lucius's middle and leaning against his shoulder.

"Let's let them sleep and retire, love," she whispered. "I want to hold you for a while, if that's all right."

After the span of a heartbeat, he turned toward her and took her hand in his own. "I would never refuse such an offer," he answered. "I always welcome your embrace." He guided her out of the nursery and across the hall to their chambers, and when they'd stepped inside, he closed the door behind them.


	3. Chapter Three

**A/N: Thank you so much for your support, and we apologize for the delay in updating. Suggestive content follows (non-explicit). x**

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∞ Chapter Three ∞

Lucius turned to face his wife, and Narcissa rested her hands on his cheeks, stretching up to meet his lips softly with her own. Lucius smiled at the feeling of her touch, sliding his arms around her thin frame to pull her close to him.

"We're free, my love," she breathed. "I'm so glad you're safe."

Lucius's smile widened. "We are," he replied happily. "He's gone."

Narcissa nodded. "He's gone, yes," she breathed, her lips brushing against his as she spoke, "and you can do whatever you choose. Whether that's with the Ministry or just staying here..." She kissed him gently and then gave his bottom lip a soft nip as she slid her arms around his neck, her chest meeting his.

"All I want to do right now is be with you." Lucius gave her a kiss before nuzzling his face into her neck. "I'm so glad I don't have to worry about being summoned away any longer," he whispered. He felt one of his wife's hands rub his back as the fingers of her other trailed through his hair.

"It's the best thing I could ask for—just having you here, not being afraid you'll be called away," she said. "Thank you for keeping your promise and coming home to me."

Lucius held Narcissa close to him, kissing the top of her head and squeezing her tightly. "I'll always come home to you," he said. "Always and forever."

"That's all I want," said Narcissa.

Lucius pulled back and kissed his wife's lips. "How do you feel about a bath?" he asked.

Narcissa smiled. "I believe that sounds perfect."

Lucius grinned. He took her hand in his own and guided her toward the bathroom, running the water when they arrived. He took his time undressing, aware that she was watching. When he'd finished, she stepped forward and trailed her fingertips down his bare torso.

"I'm glad to have you all to myself," she said.

Lucius closed his eyes, letting out an almost mute moan, enjoying the feel of her fingernails against his skin and longing to have more of her touch. When she drew back, he opened his eyes, eyeing her longingly as she began to undress and slowly reveal her perfect body. Lucius had always loved every part of her—on the inside and out—and knew how lucky he was to have her. In his mind, he'd been the luckiest chap of all at Hogwarts, and he was bloody proud of it. His wife was an absolute dream.

"And I'm glad I have you all to myself," he replied, his light-grey eyes remaining on her the entire time.

Narcissa stepped closer, her chest meeting his as she leaned up to kiss his jaw. "We've a lot to celebrate, you know."

Lucius gulped. "That we do," he replied, his voice low and playful. He swept her off her feet and stepped into the bath, sitting down with his arms around her.

Neither of them could resist the urge to surrender to the joy of their newfound freedom and make love. Afterward, as his pulse slowly returned to its normal rhythm, Lucius nuzzled his face into Narcissa's neck, kissing it a few times before sighing contently against her skin.

"I love you," he breathed. "I'm so glad he's gone, so that now we can live peacefully together as a family."

"I love you," Narcissa said softly. "So much." As she spoke, he felt her fingers skimming through his hair. "Nothing can get in the way of us having the lives we want to, now. We can just be together and be happy."

Lucius nodded against her skin as the tears he could no longer hold back began rolling down his cheeks. He was extremely thrilled that they would now be able to spend the rest of their lives together without fear that the Dark Lord would call him away at any given moment. The only matter that still needed to be resolved was that of Harry Potter. Were they really going to keep him and raise him as their own?

Narcissa continued stroking his hair for several moments in silence, and then she pulled back, her eyes surveying his face, before pulling him close again and leaning down to kiss the top of his head.

"Are you all right, my love?" she asked.

Lucius sighed, inwardly kicking himself for allowing his emotions to show and worry her in a time that should have been reserved for absolute elation.

"Would you believe me if I told you I was?"

"I... would try, but I'd still wonder about your tears. Unless you tell me they're of joy."

Lucius shifted position and rested his forehead against Narcissa's as he closed his eyes.

"If I tell you," he began, "you can't believe me any different than the man you know me to be, all right?" He was nervous that if he told her the truth, she would be angry with him, which he didn't want, especially after intimacy and at the end of such a life-changing day. He wanted to spend their time together that night in celebration, not in an argument. He felt her gentle hands rest against his shoulders and begin to rub them as she spoke.

"My darling, nothing you say could make me think badly of you. You have my word."

Lucius nodded, reassured, and let out a soft noise of pleasure at the feeling of her lips against his jaw before she returned her forehead to his.

"I don't know if it is wise to bring in the boy—everyone is going to be looking for him, and when he goes to school, only Merlin knows what's going to happen. It could be very dangerous for Draco, you, and myself, and, not to mention, the boy." Lucius sighed and pulled back, drawing her into his chest. "I don't want anything to ever happen to you."

Narcissa wrapped her arms around him tightly, and Lucius smiled, enjoying the feeling of her body against his skin.

"I don't want anything to happen to you or to Draco," she said. "I just don't know what else to do with the boy. He has nowhere to go. But... what if we found a way to keep people from realizing it was him? What if we disguised him—changed his hair and such, made it impossible to tell that he was the Potters'? We would be safe if no one knew who he was. With the Dark Lord gone, no one we'll be around has seen him closely enough to be suspicious."

Lucius pulled back just slightly as he listened, trying to comprehend why she was so determined to keep the boy. Yes, the child had no one in the way of immediate family, but he had to have relatives somewhere. _Doesn't he? Wouldn't it be better if...?_ Lucius sighed.

"I will do whatever you want, my rose," he said. "I'm just curious as to why you want him—it's not like you to have a bleeding heart for half-breeds, Narcissa." Lucius placed his hands on her cheeks, caressing her skin softly. "Just help me understand, my love."

When Narcissa met his gaze, her own was filled with apprehension. She took in a long breath and closed her eyes momentarily before focusing them on his. "I went out to the crypt today," she said quietly. "I know I shouldn't have, but... it was around this time that Alcyone..." She shook her head. "Maybe it's wrong—it probably is—but I want us to have another child. I want Draco to grow up with someone to play with and confide in, because Merlin knows he'll hit an age when that stops being us. And I'm afraid that I won't be able to provide that."

Lucius's heart sank at his wife's words, and he suddenly felt the need to protect her more than he already was. He pulled her even tighter to his chest and stood from the bath, holding her in his arms. He sat her down on the sink counter and went to get a clean towel, and then he made his way back over to her, wrapping her up in it and grabbing their brush. He wrapped his arms around her thin frame and began brushing her hair.

"I hate that—that we've had so much loss," he said. "I—I wish I could've sheltered you from the pain and suffering. If keeping Harry Potter would make you happy, then it shall be done. However, you know we can always try and make another one of our own."

"Thank you, my love, and I hate that we have, too." Narcissa's eyes shone with tears, and as she spoke, they began to slide down her cheeks. "You've done so much. I... I'd like to try to make another baby either way, eventually. I'm just frightened."

Lucius dropped the brushed and slid his arms around her underneath the towel. "Shh, shh, my rose," he breathed lovingly, kissing her lips before continuing. "It's all right. We don't have to worry about that right now. We have Draco and Harry." Lucius held her close to him, wanting to take away her pain and inwardly kicking himself for bringing it up in the first place. He was thrilled that she wanted to try again, one day, but he had no desire to pressure her.

"We do." She nodded, her fingers sliding into his hair once again. "But just know that I'm not giving up. I do want to try again, eventually. Having a child with you was the most wonderful experience, and I would love to do it again."

Lucius smiled and nodded. He was happy to know she hadn't given up while at the same time glad they were waiting a little longer. He placed his hands on her cheeks, and when she leaned closer, he closed the distance between them to meet her lips. He let out a soft moan of pleasure in between their kisses. When he pulled back, he rested one of his hands on the back of her head and gently pulled her against his shoulder, which provided him the opportunity to braid her hair and tie it with the ribbon on her wrist, which he'd given her years earlier after their first night together.

He felt her smile against his shoulder and place a soft kiss on his skin.

When he'd finished, he brushed through his hair and pulled it up into a tight bun before picking her up from the counter. He carried her into their room and set her on the chaise.

"I'll be right back," he said.

He kissed her nose and disappeared into their closet, and he returned minutes later in a pair of grey sweats, a white shirt, a navy jumper, and wool socks—the late October air was difficult to keep entirely out of such an immense old house. In his hands, he held a matching pair of everything for her, knowing that she'd be cold as well. He sat down in front of her and produced his wand to dry her hair before replacing his wand and beginning to dress her. As he worked, she buried her face in the crook of his neck and trailed her fingers along his back.

"Thank you, darling," said Narcissa. "I love you." She leaned up to kiss his cheek before laying her head down again.

Lucius smiled. "Of course, my rose," he said. "I love you so much." He picked her up and sat on the chaise, pulling her close in his arms and grabbing the throw from behind them. He wrapped them both in it, produced his wand, cast a nonverbal _Incendio_ in the direction of the fireplace, and stowed his wand again before giving her a squeeze. "Are you warm? Do you need anything else?"

Narcissa glanced to the fire and then returned her focus to his face. "Yes, I'm warm. And the only thing I need right now is you." She lifted her face to meet his lips and then let out a soft sigh. "I can't believe it's over. It's like a dream come true—you're safe. Finally."

Lucius smiled as Narcissa snuggled close to him. He'd felt lighter since returning home, and he was so relieved that the Dark Lord was gone and that his wife and son were safe.

"I'm thankful I don't have to worry about your safety—I mean, I'll always worry about you and our children," he said, "but the Dark Lord's threats kept me up at night, often."

Narcissa nodded and nuzzled his neck. "No more threats. Never again. We'll be fine and be here with you."

Lucius remained silent for a few moments before letting out a sigh and drawing back to look her in the eyes. "What—how—when you went to the crypt—?" He sighed again and kissed her nose, resting his forehead against hers. "Are you all right?" he asked very quietly.

"As all right as I can be," she said, sliding her arms around his shoulders. "I know I shouldn't have gone out there by myself. I just..." Narcissa drew in a long breath. "Why have we had such horrible luck? It's not fair."

Lucius's heart ached. He held her tighter and lay back further against the cushions. He worked hard to not let his tears to fall, but he wasn't certain he did a great job at it.

"It's my fault," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault at all. You did everything possible to take care of me and each of the babies." She leaned close and kissed the tears that had managed to fall.

Lucius shook his head. "Yes, it was, Narcissa," he insisted. "Being the fiancée and wife of a Death Eater brought you a lot of stress, which wasn't good for the baby..."

Narcissa sighed heavily. "Be that as it may, the stress alone wasn't responsible, my love. I can promise you that. And you relieve my stress as well, just by being here with me." She trailed her fingertips along his cheek softly.

Lucius shook his head and pulled her against his chest. "It doesn't change the fact that my own children were basically killed at my hands. Maybe I'm—maybe Merlin doesn't believe we deserve more because of that... Only he would know." Lucius sighed and let his tears fall as he gripped to his wife for dear life. He knew now that she knew his being a Death Eater brought a lot of stress, and he wished he'd never signed up for such a position—thanks to his father, he'd had no choice.

Narcissa pressed a kiss to his chest. "Darling... I know you blame yourself, but I wish you didn't. I'll never blame you. You didn't want any part in this mess to begin with, and I haven't forgotten that. Merlin gave us one perfect child of our own, and you've been the best father there is. He has to know you would be to as many as we could possibly have."

Though Lucius's heart was aching, he was glad he had his wife there to remind him that she loved him and didn't blame him. "You're wonderful, my rose, and I'm so thrilled that I'm yours." Lucius leaned in and kissed her lips, letting his own linger against them. Narcissa's kiss was tender yet passionate, and he sighed into her mouth, loving the feeling of her lips, like he always had.

"I'm so happy to be yours," she said when she pulled back. "What can I do to show you that you're perfect?" She brought one hand down to rub his shoulder, and he let out a moan—there had been knots in his shoulder and back for weeks, and her touch brought him considerable relief. Narcissa smiled and shifted her other hand as well, beginning to rub both of his shoulders. "You need a break, my love." She leaned in to kiss his nose as she rubbed. "Does that help?"

Lucius rolled his head back slightly and closed his eyes. "Thank you, my rose. And to answer your question: all I need is to be here with you tonight." Lucius reveled in the touch of her hands against his shoulders, letting out a few more moans as she worked.

"Anytime. I'm happy to help." She kissed his cheek. "I'm not going anywhere, darling. I'm very glad to be right here with you."

Lucius opened his eyes to meet hers. "You've always loved to help me. What makes you do that?"

Narcissa blinked. She paused for a moment before answering. "I think it's because I never really felt I deserved or could have happiness until I met you. You make my life worth living, and I love you with everything that I am and want to do absolutely everything I can to bring you as much happiness as you bring me just by being here with me."

Lucius smiled and leaned close to kiss her. "Gods, I love you," he whispered as he pulled back. "I've got the best wife in the world."

"Thank you, my love. And I've got the best husband."

He opened his mouth to reply, but the cry of a baby interrupted his thoughts.

"That's not Draco," said Lucius with a frown. "Must be Harry."

Narcissa nodded, worry apparent in her eyes as she slid carefully off his lap. Lucius stood and took her hand, and they made their way to Draco's room. Lucius followed Narcissa to the crib he'd set up for Harry, wrapping his arm around her waist and leaning close to her side as she lifted the boy into her arms.

"It's all right, dear," she said softly, holding him to her shoulder.

Lucius kissed his wife's temple and listened as Harry cried for a few moments longer before the sound subsided. Harry clung to the front of Narcissa's jumper, resting his head against her chest and letting out several sniffles and yawns and coughs as he relaxed. Narcissa swayed on her feet as she watched him, and Lucius smiled, glad to see again how capable his wife was of handling children exceptionally well. He'd learned so much from her, for which he was truly grateful. He took a step back to give her room to move. He was preparing to comment on how adorable she looked with Harry, but the familiar cries of Draco stopped him.

"Mama! Mama!"

Lucius turned to face his son's crib. Draco's hands were in the air, begging for someone to pick him up, and Lucius hurried toward his son and pulled him from the crib.

"It's okay, love," he breathed. "Daddy's got you."

Draco clung to his father's robes, burying his face in Lucius's chest. Lucius looked to Narcissa and smiled.

"Looks like they want to join us with the cuddling."

"It seems so." She moved closer and pressed a kiss to Draco's hair before looking to Lucius. "Thank you. For letting him stay." She glanced down at Harry.

Lucius nodded. "Anything for you, my rose," he said lovingly. He then looked down at their son and kissed his forehead. "To our chambers we go, then."

He led Narcissa back to their room and closed the door when she'd entered. They made their way to the chaise and the fire still crackling in front of it, and after they sat, he pulled the throw over the four of them, careful not to disturb the boys more than necessary. Harry snuggled closer to Narcissa, letting out a large sigh and returning to sleep. Draco, however, lifted his head and looked from his father to his mother to Harry, tilting his head. He looked to his mother once again, his expression asking for an explanation.

"Draco, my love," Narcissa began quietly, "he's going to stay with us. Wouldn't it be exciting to have a brother to play with?"

Draco looked back to his father and lowered his head, scooting closer to Lucius's chest and quickly falling asleep again. Lucius kissed the top of Draco's head, hoping he wasn't holding it against them that they were allowing Harry to stay. Lucius shifted his attention to Narcissa and scooted closer to her. He wrapped the arm he wasn't using to support Draco around her and kissed her hair.

"It'll be all right," he said. "We'll find out more in the morning. I love you."

"I hope so." She rested her head against his shoulder. "I really hope so. I love you." She kissed his shoulder and laid her head down again. "I'm so glad you're here."


	4. Dear Readers

Dear Readers,

Thank you so very much for your support. We appreciate it greatly. We wanted to inform you that _justforpractice_ has decided to discontinue writing on FFN. However, I will continue to update stories that are currently on our joint page (as well as _An Unlikely Tale_ ) on my individual page from here forward and hope to do them justice.

Thank you again, and I hope you continue to read these stories and the others.

 _theslytherinrose_


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